Gov. Rick Scott will deliver his annual speech at the Forum Club in West Palm Beach tomorrow. In an attempt to appear human, he likely will tout his much-trumpeted $1 billion proposed increase in funding for public schools. But that proposal isn't as rosy as it sounds. Here are a few questions to shout from the back of the room as the governor tries to remember how to blink.
5. Why must you siphon money from Medicaid to pay for your $1 billion for education? Pitting hospitals that treat poor, sick people against schools is twisted, even for you.
4. By the way, adding $1 billion does not even fill the funding hole you created when you cut $1.3 billion from education last year.
3. If Senate Bill 1852 passes, it will siphon $11 million in school construction dollars from public schools to charter schools in Palm Beach County, according to the district's chief financial officer. That money, in many cases, will go to private management companies and landlords. How can you justify using public tax dollars to pad the pockets of for-profit corporations?
2. The state Senate is proposing to cut one-third of Florida Atlantic University's state funding, or $47 million. Other Florida universities would also face drastic funding losses under the proposed budget. Where do you stand on this issue?
1. You say you don't want Florida's universities to raise tuition, which is admirable. But if they face massive budget cuts and cannot raise tuition, they will starve for resources. Your pledge to support education will sound rather hollow then, don't you think?
